Apparatus for stacking transformer laminations within a coil window



0, 1953 H. v. KNAUF. JR.. AL ,658,268

APPARATUS FOR STACKING T SFURMER LAMINATIONS WITHIN A COIL WINDOW Filed July 31, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l 5 FLE'nnmamrIa.

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Y HHHRLIL attorney N 1953 H. v. KNAUF, JR.. ETAL 2,658,258

APPARATUS FOR STACKIPIG TRANSFORMER LAMINATIONS WITHIN A COIL WINDOW Filed July 31, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mil.

lnmlom Hanna V. Knaur; fln.

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attorney Nov. 10, 1953 APPARATUS FOR STACKING TRANSFORMER LAMINATIONS WITHIN A COIL WINDOW Fil'ed July 31, 1948 -l 4 T\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\X\\\\\ 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Bananas f1. Ennman, JR.

(Ittomeg Patented Nov. 10, 1953 PPARATUS FOR STACKIN G TRAN SFORMER, LAMINATIONS WITHIN A COIL WINDOW Harry V. Knauf, Jr., Oaklyn, and Charles A.

Erdman.

Jr., Haddon Heights, NHL, assignors to Radio Corporation 01' America, av corporation of Delaware Application 1111, 31, 1948, Serial No. 41,846

This patent teaches a novel method of applying core-laminations to a coil having a. laminae tion-receiving aperture or window therein and describes a machine for the utilization of the said method.

Irrespective of the advantages claimed for the several types of stacking machines disclosed by the prior art it may be said, generally, thatthey are objectionable when, as is usually the case, a vertically movable table or platform is provided for the purpose of moving the previously entered laminations downwardly to a pointy whereat the uppermost lamination lies. adjacent to the level at which the next lamination is added to the stack. One reason why such machines. have proven unsatisfactory is that, as a practical matter, it is impossible to so wind the wire and to so wrap the intermediate insulating layers thereon that the dimensions of the coilreceiving windows are of the same uniform dimensions. Thus, while one lamination may easily be entered into the coil window. and may be seated perfectly therein, the next lamination may encounter an irregular edge of the window and become tilted therein when the platform de-- scends. Obviously, the presence of a tilted lami-.- nation interferes with the entry of the next sue-- ceeding lamination In such machines there is also. the problem of achieving perfect synchronization of the downward movement of the coil and its partially completed core with the laterally movable lamination-inserting. mechanism. Furthermore, such machines are rendered complicated by the heretofore necessary presence of an auxiliary machanism for compressing the stack subsequent to the entry of each lamination thereon. Nor do the machines of the prior art lend themselves to the production of the more complicated forms of stacks such, for example, as E and I stacks of the type wherein the alternate and intermediate E andI-shape laminations extend into. the window of the coil in opposite directions.

Accordingly, the principal object of the pres-- ent invention is to provide anovel method of, and machine for, applying core-laminations to coils, and to obviate the foregoing and other less apparent disadvantagesof the methods and machines heretofore proposed for that purpose.

Stated generally, the foregoing and other objects are achieved in accordance with the method of the invention by successively entering the individual laminations into the coil window one beneath another (instead of on top of each other) and progressively elevating (instead oflowering).

2 CIaims. (01. 29-203) the previously enteredlamination with respect to the point of entry of each succeeding lamination. Also, the coil is supported within its window by its own weight and by the weight of the laminations therein. Hence the assembly issubjected to a force (i. e. gravity) capable of partially restraining or retarding its upward movement; hence the laminations within the window are urged into intimate mutual contact inover coming said restraining force.

The invention is described in greater detail in connection with the accompanyingthree sheets of drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a machine constructed in accordance with the principle or the invention, toapply-pairedi E and I core laminationsto. a hollow coil.

Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the machine of" Fig. 1 with the coil removed and the coil-receiving compartment opened to reveal a. stationary support for the coil.

Fig. 3' is. av sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; with the coil compartment closed and. with a partially completed: stack in the core window.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, showing the coil compartment and one of the two magazines. for the I-shape laminations.)

Fig; 5 is aview in perspective of two sets of E and I laminations showing the pattern and direction in which they are stacked by the machine of Figs. 1 to4.

The machine shown in the drawings operates. to build-up, within the window W (Figs. 1 and: 3:) of a. pre-wound: coil. 0', a magnetic core M- (Figs. 1 and 3,) consisting of a stack of E and I shaped laminations. (see Fig. 5.) of the type wherein the center bar of one E is entered. into the coil Window in one direction and the center I bar of the next adjacent E is entered into the said window in the opposite directionas indicated by the arrows on the Es in Fig. 5. With the center bar of each E thus situated within the, coil window the end bars of each E embrace the outer side walls of the coil. Each. li -shape lamination is applied to. the stack at the same time and at the same level as the E with which it is paired. As indicated by thearrowsin Fig. 5 the I-shape laminations are fed into the coil in opposite directions, each along a path which forms a right angle with the path of movement of. the E with which it is paired. Thus; four magazine are required to supply the said oppositcIy-dlrected; paired, E- and I- laminations to=the coil C. These magazines are numbered I to 4 inclusive in the drawings and are arranged one on each side of a central rectangular compartment 5 in which the coil C is mounted.

The compartment 5 in which the coil C is mounted comprises two separable sections 5a and 5b which, when separated as shown in Fig. 2, permit the coil to be entered and withdrawn from the said compartment. The section 5a, at the right in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the magazines I and 4 on the right side of the said section are of unitary construction and are immovably mounted upon a block or pedestal 6 (see Figs. 1 and 3) well above the base I of the machine. As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the other half 5b of the coil compartment and the other two magazines 2 and 3 are attached to a carriage comprising a second pedestal 8 which is mounted for movement toward and away from the immovable section Sit on tracks 9.

It will be observed upon inspection of Fig. 2 that the separable sections 5a, 5b of the coil compartment are provided on their interior with two complementary horizontally disposed E- shape coil-supporting members I and II, arranged with their bars in registered facing-relation. In mounting a coil within the compartment the window of the coil is simply slipped over one of the central bars of said E shape supports and the side walls of the coil entered into the spaces between said bar and the outer bars, whereupon the compartment may be closed. These center bars of these E shape supports III and II are preferably slightly wider than the central bars of the E shape laminations of the core M so that the presence of the said bars within the window of the coil makes it certain that the dimensions of the window adjacent to the said support will always be sufllciently large to permit the entry of the said part of the E shape laminations therein.

When the compartment 5 is closed the coil is preferably pressed down upon its support so that the upper interior portion of the coil window W lies near the level of the upper surface of the said support. As will hereinafter more fully appear, the laminations are entered into the window of the coil above this level, i. e. on top of the central bar of the supports III and II and beneath the upper interior surface of the window. As will hereinafter more fully appear, when the laminations are entered into the coil, one beneath another, the previously entered laminations are pushed-up so that the uppermost lamination bears against the upper surface of the window and urges the coil upwardly in its compartment. As previously indicated this upward movement of the previously entered laminations, and of the coil per se, is partially restrained or retarded by the weight of the assembly, hence the laminations will be urged into intimate mutual contact with each other in overcoming this gravitational restraining force. If necessary or expedient the said restraining force may be augmented to any desired degree by so dimensioning the coil-supporting structure III-II that the coil C has a relatively tight fit therein.

Each of the magazines I to 4 inclusive is provided each with a blade-like plunger PI, P2 etc. which operates in the desired sequence to remove the lowermost lamination from the pile in its magazine and to push the said lamination under a vertically movable gate GI, G2 etc. into its proper position within the coil compartment 5, i. e. onto the top of the coil support I0II beneath any previously entered lamination. Since the blades of the plungers that push the laminations out of the magazines into the coil compartment are quite thin it is important that the said laminations should lie flat when presented to the said blades and be prevented from buckling during their journey into the said compartment. This is achieved, in accordance with the invention, by the use of one or more magnets which may conveniently be in the form of rod-like elements RI, R2, etc. which extend upwardly through holes provided for the purpose in the base of each magazine and which terminate adjacent to the bottom of the magazine so that their magnetic flux will operate to bias the laminations into contact with the surfaces over which they travel into the coil compartment 5.

Each of the gates GI, G2 etc. leading to the coil compartment 5 is biased downwardly to its closed position by its own weight and, preferably, by one or more leaf springs SI, S2, etc. which are secured at one end to the stationary side walls of the compartment served by that gate. Thus, when the blade or leading edge of a plunger is withdrawn from the coil compartment 5 the gate closes immediately and prevents any previously entered lamination from being withdrawn with the blade from said compartment. As shown more clearly in Fig. 1 the lower edge of each gate (as exemplified by the gate GI) and the leading edge or blade of the plunger (exemplified by the plunger PI) which is associated therewith, are of a complementary crenelated contour; the notches n on the gate lying in the path of the protuberances p on the blade. Thus, the protuberances on the said blade can enter the coil compartment a distance suflicient to bring the trailin edge of the entering lamination all of the way into the coil compartment 5.

It will be observed upon inspection of Fig. 3 that the inner bottom surfaces of the magazines I and 3 within which the E-shape laminations are stored, are each inclined downwardly in the direction in which the Es are moved into the coil compartment 5. It will also be observed that the upper surface of the bi-part base I0II oi the coil compartment 5, as viewed in Fig. 3. comprises a central landing L upon which the E shape laminations eventually rest and a pair of inwardly inclined stairs which lead up to the said platform. The treads t of the outermost steps of these stairs are beneath the gates GI and G3 and form continuations of the downwardly inclined bottom surfaces of the magazines I and 3, hence, when an E shape lamination is pushed off the bottom of the stack in either magazine it will raise the gate of that compartment and will be entered under the edge of the lowermost (E or I) lamination of the partially completed core M in the coil compartment 5. The leading edge of the entering E will then encounter the inwardly inclined riser r of the first step and ride over the downwardly inclined tread t of the next step whereupon it will be urged upwardly by the inwardly inclined riser r of the next step and ride onto the central landing L.

If the lowermost lamination on a given side of the partially completed stack M in the coil compartment 5 is an E, it will be seen that the said lamination simply rests in a horizontal (untilted) position on the central platform L with the trailing long edge of the E extending over the riser of the first step, hence (as shown in Fig. 4) the next I-shape lamination will. upon being pushed beneath the gate G2 of its magazine, enter the coil compartment 5 beneath the said edge of the E and (as shown at the left of center in Fig. 3) will come to rest upon the inwardly extending downwardly inclined tread t, with the trailing long edge of the said I extending over the riser r of the preceding step. Hence, in either case the leading edge of the following (E or I) lamination will, upon entering the coil compartment, extend under the long edge of the lastentered lamination and, upon being pushed further into the said compartment, push it upwardly into intimate contact with the laminations which have preceded it.

The blade-like plungers Pl, P2, P3 and P5 that push the laminations from the magazines I to 4, respectively, into the coil compartment 5 are secured adjacent to their outer ends to blocks or carriages B1, B2, etc., each of which has a sliding fit on one of a pair of rod-like tracks Ti,

T2, etc. that extend outwardly from points beneath the said magazine. These carriages 13!, B2 etc. and hence the plungers P1, P2 etc. thereon are moved inwardly and outwardly in the desired sequence with respect to the coil compartment 5 by a pair of bell cranks l5 and 16 each of which is connected, effectively, at one end to a plunger for an E-magazine and, at its other end, to a plunger for an I-magazine. Thus, the bellcrank l5 (see Fig. 1) is connected at one end to block B3 of the plunger F3 for the E-magazine 3 and, adjacent to its other end, to block B2 of the plunger P2 of the I-magazine 2 through a short arm Ilia. Similarly, the bellcrank i5 is connected at one end to the block Bl of the plunger PI for the other E-magazine i and, ad-

jacent to its other end, to the other block B4 of the plunger P4 of the I-magazine 4 through a short arm [50; (Fig. 3). These bellcranks i5 and I6 are supported at their pivot points Mg; and i610 on pedestals l1 and I8 at diametrically opposite corners of the base 1 of the machine. The pedestal I? for the bellcrank I5 is secured to the said base, while the pedestal I8 for the other bellcrank I6 is supported for movement on the tracks 9 upon which the support 8 for the laterally movable half 52) of the coil compartment 5 is carried. The bellcranks are connected by a pivoted link l9 which extends between them, beneath the coil compartment 5. The driving force for the bellcranks I5 and I6 is applied to the link l9, at its center |9a by a lever which is driven by a crank 2 I affixed to shaft 22 of a motor 23.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a novel method of, and a reliable apparatus for, applying laminations of any desired pattern or patterns to a coil having a lamination-receiving aperture therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for applying oppositely extend ing alternate pairs of E and I shape laminations to a coil having a window adapted to receive the center bar of Es, said machine comprising a compartment containing a vertically stationary horizontal platform adapted to be received within said coil-window for the purpose of supporting said coil and receiving said laminations, said platform comprising a bi-part structure, each of the two parts of said bi-part structure being substantially E-shaped with a stepped upper surface and disposed with the open edges of said Es facing each other, means for supporting said parts for horizontal movement with respect to each other whereby the two parts may be separated to admit the positioning of the coil thereon and then reclosed to hold the coil in position,

a magazine for said E-shaped laminations disposed adjacent the rear edge of each of said E- shaped support structures, a magazinefor said I-shaped laminations disposed adjacent the side edge of each of said E-shaped support structures, means including an ejector blade mounted for reciprocating motion in association with each of said magazines for removing the E and I laminations of a given first pair from their magazines simultaneously and for depositing said pair upon said platform in juxtaposition with respect to said coil and for removing the E and I laminations of the other pair from their magazines simultaneously and depositing them upon said platform beneath said first mentioned pair, said means for removing and depositing said I-laminations including means for moving said I-laminations in a direction longitudinally of said I-laminations, and means to reciprocate said ejector blades alternately in pairs.

2. A machine for applying oppositely extending alternate pairs of E and I shape laminations to a coil having a window adapted to receive the center bar of said Es, said machine comprising a compartment containing a vertically stationary horizontal platform adapted to be received within said coil-window for the purpose of supporting said coil and receiving said laminations, said platform comprising a bi-part structure, each of the two parts of said bi-part structure being substantially E-shaped and disposed with the open edges of said Es facing each other, means for supporting said parts for horizontal movement with respect to each other whereby the two parts may be separated to admit the positioning of the coil thereon and then reclosed to hold the coil in position, a magazine for said E-shaped laminations disposed adjacent the rear edge of each of said E-shaped support structures, a magazine for said I-shaped laminations disposed adjacent the side edge of each of said E-shaped support structures, and means for removing the E and I laminations of a given first pair from their magazines simultaneously and for depositing said pair upon said platform in juxtaposition with respect to said coil and for removing the E and I laminations of the other pair from their magazines simultaneously and depositing them upon said platform beneath said first mentioned palr.

HARRY V. KNAUF, JR. CHARLES A. ERDMAN, JR.

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